Ten Thousand Peony Petals
by Rosabell
Summary: Sequel to
1. Default Chapter

Ten Thousand Peony Petals  
  
Chapter 1  
  
It has been twenty years. Twenty years is a long time. For us, for them, for everyone. Even for those who live for a thousand years, twenty years is still a long time. So much happens in the world.  
  
Sakura-chan has grown up. As I have. We've all grown. Eriol just came from England to visit. Nakuru and Spinel came as well.  
  
I've taken over my mother's business. Simply because I wanted to, nothing else. So far, I've been rather successful. Sakura is a doctor, internal medicine. Touya is a professor at the university in Tokyo, teaching history. Yukito is also a professor, teaching math.   
  
It's hard to believe there was another one among us, isn't it.  
  
Sakura is married. She is no longer Kinomoto Sakura. She is now Wakabayashi Sakura. Her husband is Seto, a dentist. Touya is also married. His wife is Kasumi, a very intelligent lawyer and author. Eriol and I are making plans.  
  
So many people. Did you know that Chiharu is still single? That Yamazaki is still single, a very successful author? Did you know that Noako and Rika moved to South Korea? There are so many things that happened. So many things. It may seem like we had forgot about him, going with our own lives like this, getting married, falling in love, watching the world go by and following it. Hai, it might seem like we forgot, like we broke our promise.  
  
But Syaoran left on May seventeenth. And every May seventeenth afterwards, we gathered together in that meadow where we all last seen him-just us, with no husbands, no wives, no friends or family. And we'll sit there for hours, sometimes silent, sometimes laughing, sometimes solemn and serious. Every July thirteenth we celebrate his birthday. Chocolate cake, his favorite. We tell our loved ones his story, of how he had died on that fateful night under the full moon, by the jaws of the crocodile saw the secrets of life, and we spoke of how he became a god, pure and innocent, and Sakura gave that precious peony to Seto. Seto understood how much that flower contains. A simple being, yet immortal.  
  
Iie, we didn't forget. Not this way we won't. We will never forget the day Syaoran first came to us. We will never forget the day he left. We will never forget who he was and who he had become. Li Syaoran of the Li clan.  
  
The Li clan. They spoke not a word of his departure, only a solemn silence, just enough to let us know they understood. Just enough to let us know they accept and they will mourn. With or without proper burial. With or without the body.  
  
And that was when he chose to come.  
  
  
  
He came as a full grown teenager, still in his youth but full of wisdom. A god in earthly form, his skin was no longer white, but a healthy pale with pink shadings. His hair was no longer pale but light brown. His eyes were not so golden, but they still had the same flicker. He no longer looked serious and solemn or threatening. He looked cheerful, full of joy. And he came with many older gods, all tall and fair. Like this he came into our world, excited, content, at peace. He first came to my mansion, where Sakura was spending the evening along with Seto.   
  
He was tall. He was fair. An angelic being, filled with divinity and grace. He was not unhappy with the fact that Sakura found a new love, he was happy she was alive and well. I still remember that look on Sakura's face-full of shock and disbelief, a confusion between whether to be happy or afraid. But his cheerful greeting made the decision for her, and she flung herself into his arms-an image of an every day romance movie, with a happy ending.  
  
Happy endings and happy beginnings are two different things.  
  
Behind him were many others. Seven? Four women and three men. All mighty and powerful, filled with an aura of pride that demands respect. Seto did not know how to react to his wife's behavior until Sakura called him by name.  
  
" Syaoran-kun."  
  
Syaoran laughed in response, and a beautiful laugh it was, deep and powerful, as he too, called her by name.  
" Sakura."  
  
Then he let go, turned to Seto, and bowed.  
  
" Wakabayashi-san." He said. " I am pleased to meet you. Tomoyo!"  
" Li-kun!" I laughed, and too embraced him. I was so glad he was back. I did not ask any other questions.  
" How have you been?" He asked.  
" What do you mean how have we been?" Sakura slapped his arm playfully. " Twenty years! How have you been! Is that all we get?"  
" Hai, until you answer the question." Syaoran teased. " But you don't need to say if you don't want to. I know already. And I'm sorry to spoil your supposed joy-I was certain that you would be glad to get rid of the gaki."  
" What are you talking about!" I cried, making a slapping motion myself. " But what joy would you spoil? You're here, after all."  
" Only for a little while." Syaoran answered pleasantly. " Come along. I'm sure you can cope with that. We're taking a sampling of this world to bring to the Land of Mystical Dreams. That's its name, since there's been ideas, but none were tried yet. We'll be staying here for some time though, but not a year, that's for sure. Where is everyone?"  
  
There was a brief hesitation, before I recovered. " You're just in luck! Eriol came back from England."  
" Hai. You and he are making plans." There was an unfamiliar glint in his eye. " Romeo and Juliet!"  
" I sure hope it won't end that way!" I laughed.  
" Come along. I want to meet everyone, especially Touya. I miss him so much." Syaoran laughed. " Oh, by the way, Tomoyo, Sakura, Seto, this is Aisha, Ronald, Shruti, Anna, Alicia, Louis, and Dayne. The seven of you, you know who they are."  
  
After a trading of greetings, we finally realized that Syaoran was part of the High Council.  
  
  
  
" Young indeed!" Syaoran had laughed when Ronald had mentioned it good humoredly. " In fact, all of them are seventeen times as old as I am!"  
" You don't look that old." Sakura remarked.  
" Do I look thirty-one years old?" Syaoran smirked.  
" Iie. You look sixteen."  
" Exactly."  
" Ah, immortals, eternal youth. No fair!"  
" Fair!" Syaoran laughed. " We live and be tormented by memories of our past accumulating forever, while you guys live easy lives! Good heavens! But speaking of heavens, how's Yue been doing?"  
  
The gods laughed at that, and Sakura explained how he had been doing, and Syaoran smiled.  
" Professor Tsukishiro! Now that's a bundle of news, no mistake! And Professor Kinomoto! I'll have to address them by their proper title! I guess I really did miss a lot then."  
" How long will be staying?" Sakura suddenly asked.  
  
Syaoran didn't seem distressed.   
" How long will we be staying, Shruti?"  
" Ah, good question." The goddess looked over at Ronald. " How long could we afford?"  
" Well, the forces are in good condition. I'll say about several months or so."  
" Four or five." Syaoran nodded. " Long enough to catch up, iie?"  
" Oh..." Sakura suddenly looked saddened. " Hai."  
" Come along. Show us around. Never bothered to look into details in this town, so give us a tour, would you?" Syaoran answered pleasantly, as if not noticing her distress.  
  
Nodding, we left the table and went to get our coats.  
  
  
  
Nothing changed much, really. The town seemed like a frozen place. But having Syaoran around felt queer. It was almost as if he didn't belong. He was fair and a pure being amidst a corrupt world. He was a being that no longer is. And somehow it seems he's too perfect for us now.  
  
Yet there was this warm look in his eyes, something about his smile, that makes others feel wanted. There was something that had changed. But there was also something about him that says loud and clear, " I still love you."  
  
  
  
Shortly afterwards, we all took Syaoran to Yukito's home.  
  
He was shocked. Hai, Yue was shocked. At first he didn't know what to make of it, even when Syaoran called him. He stood there, and one would have mistaken him for rejection. But Syaoran was a god.  
  
Hai! God he was, of the High Council. One of the eight that decides it all. He masters all kinds of magic we can never dream of. He has seen more than we can dream of. And he knows, knows, good heavens! No one knows more than he, save the High Council. Where is the clueless and dense Li Syaoran that we knew? It seems he was never so clueless in the first place. Does he still love Sakura like he use to?  
  
Yue didn't know how to react at first, then he just threw himself onto Syaoran, who was nearly as tall as himself now.   
  
" You gaki." Was all Yue said. But he wouldn't let go. " You've grown." He muttered.  
" Yue." Syaoran finally said, after some hesitation. " I've only come back for a while. Don't get too comfortable."  
  
Yue suddenly flung himself away from Syaoran and stared at him.  
  
" How long?" He asked.  
" Four to five months." Syaoran answered. " Maybe a little more. It depends."  
" On what?"  
" On when we'll get this done."  
" Get what done?" Yue was distressed. I looked at him apologetically and we had to explain everything.  
  
Yue studied Syaoran and the other immortals for a long time, a considering and slightly disappointed look in his eyes. For a while he was silent, not speaking, his gaze deep and thoughtful. Then he raised his arm and patted Syaoran's.  
" I've missed you." He said softly.  
" Me too." Syaoran answered quietly. " But sometimes that's not enough."  
" What will be?" Yue asked.  
" Nothing." Syaoran answered.  
  
And we all knew what he meant.  
  
Professor Kinomoto ain't impressed.  
  
Oh, he ain't, that's for sure. Touya did not like it at all. The nickname gaki came back, although with less offense, but he wasn't happy.   
  
Syaoran didn't seem to mind. Gradually I began to wonder. Did he still love us? Did he still care? Or is this something that happened by accident?  
  
  
  
Shruti and Anna went off to collect some samplings of sand from the beaches, which would take some time. Ronald and Louis collected what leaves and plants they could. I was confused at first. What could plants and dirt do? But Syaoran had insistently wanted to go with Ronald and Louis for some reason.  
  
" Onegai!"  
" Iie."   
" Why?"  
" You're too young, and besides, you have long lost friends."  
" But-"  
" No buts."  
  
Syaoran frowned. I felt slightly hurt and doubtless everyone felt the same. But when the gods left he beamed and played with Sakura's baby, Mimi.  
  
" She is so kawaii." He said over and over again, poking at her nose. " And she has her oka-san's eyes!"  
  
He seemed so oblivious to our looks of disappointment. It seemed like he was the one that broke the promise.  
  
  
  
Later that day Sakura and Syaoran went out. Seto didn't mind really, after all, he knew she loved him. Eriol and I sat down on the couch with Nakuru, Kero and Spinel.  
  
" What's up with him?"   
" He's changed, Tomoyo-chan."  
" But Eriol-"  
" He's changed."  
" Is that a good thing?"  
" Depends." Eriol answered pleasantly, acting unbearably like Syaoran. " IF you want him to be happy, it's good. If you want him to stick to the past like he use to, well, than it's bad."  
" Well, it's not that I don't want him to be happy." I protested. " It's just that it seems like he doesn't care."  
" Why should he?" Eriol asked me, curious. " Think about it, Tomoyo. He loves Sakura. If he still is after her, he has no chance. Sakura's already married. Heck, she has a baby girl already! So that's gone. What else? He's a god, Tomoyo, and what's more, he's part of the High Council. He is one of the eight that is planning to build up another world in the Land of Mystical Dreams. Tell me, why should he care for the likes of us?"  
  
It was a discomforting thought, but I knew he was right. Somehow, I knew Eriol was right. And I hated that. 


	2. Chapter 2

Ten Thousand Peony Petals  
  
Chapter 2  
  
To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I could not understand what happened to the young one. It was so unfair. He totally ignored my sister. While we all did our best to keep our promise.  
  
And then I did perhaps the most stupid thing I've ever done. I brought this up.  
  
It was at nighttime. Syaoran was playing with my niece. I went up to him.  
  
" May I have a word with you?" I asked quietly.   
" Sure." Syaoran looked up, after giving Mimi one last poke on the nose. Then he left her alone, and we went outside to the balcony of Sakura and Seto's home.  
  
" What is going on?" I asked.  
" What do you mean?"  
" This."  
" Nani?"  
" We've missed you Syaoran."  
  
It was all it took. All confusion evaporated and Syaoran gave me a hurt look.  
" It's not that I forgot about you." He said quietly. " How can you think like that?"  
" It's not just me Syaoran." I snapped harshly. " We are all doubting now. You've been gone for so long, and you never showed one sign that you care. We thought we lost you for good! You know how it feels like to be ignored. And yet here you come with your new friends and they are all you care about."  
  
Syaoran narrowed his eyes. " I never forgot about you." He hissed. " I never did. But what do you want, Touya?"  
  
He waited, and when I didn't answer he narrowed his eyes even more, turning it into a glare.  
  
" Everyone has moved on, Touya." He said quietly, hissing. " I know you still remember. You still kept your promise. You will never break it." He stopped glaring and lowered his eyes. " I never broke mine. It's so hard, Touya. I still loved Sakura. But she and I were never meant to be. And watching her, with part of her love for the man she is with, and a caring love for me, however large, it tears me apart.  
  
I know I asked a lot that night." He sighed.  
  
" I know I asked a lot. I'm very sorry; I shouldn't have asked that. Because you see, remembering something that is no longer there-it's so hard, you know? I remember Sakura because my love for her still exists. I remember you because I love you, I remember Yue, Eriol, everyone, because the love still exists. But when it comes to..."  
  
He sighed again. " I've never been able to accept things easily Touya." He looked at me. " The Final Judgment took the last out of me. Sure, I accepted I was dead. I accepted that I loved Sakura. I accepted she and I cannot be together. But look at her Touya! She's a married woman, a doctor, a mother, all in one. What do you want me to do? Do you want me to express my love? Then what will Seto say? And Tomoyo-Tomoyo and Eriol, we've never been especially close, and Yue, Yue-he's still with Sakura and he must love her with all his heart, not love me as well! So what in the world do you want me to act like? This isn't the Card Captors gang anymore! You can't just separate from everyone just to be with me!  
  
And you have to understand Touya. In many ways you've changed. In many ways I've changed too. I'm no longer the Li Syaoran you know. I am now a god. A true god, a member of the High Council. I make decisions. I make choices. I decide what's right and wrong. I have a say in the doings of the council. Like the government. Like counselors. Like a King. Neither of us understand each other anymore. Twenty years is a long time. And trust me, you won't be seeing me for a while, if at all."  
  
  
  
" Then why don't you try?" I asked softly. " Have you ever given thought of whether or not to try to come back at least?"  
" Come back?" Syaoran blinked, incredulous, as if the idea was ridiculous. " You know not what you're asking! But that is sweet, I mean, if I was that important," He looked sad.  
  
" The thing is," He said slowly, " I was able to come back. I didn't choose to. You have no idea how that world is like. I hope that maybe Sakura would be worthy enough to go there. Everything is perfect. Sure, there's no such thing as simply flowers and trees, there are buildings and all. I mean, there are flowers, plenty of them, there are trees. But it's not covered with them. But everything is clean, everything is perfect, everything is in its right place and perfectly contented to stay right there."  
  
" Sumamisan, Touya." He finally finished.  
  
I took a deep breath. I knew that he was right. How can I ask him to leave a perfect place and come to a corrupted world? I should have been the one that's sorry.  
  
  
  
" Syaoran!" Someone called. Syaoran turned around.  
" Hai?"  
" Come on! Let's go out! They have a movie out, and Tomoyo was dying to see it." Eriol offered. " You too. You know, we've never been able to go out like this. Time to act like teenagers."  
" Thirty years old, teenager! Ai! What is the world coming to?" Syaoran laughed, as he grabbed his coat along with the others.  
  
  
  
Dinner. It was that last time Syaoran was with us. No Seto, no Mimi, no Kasumi, no one. There was just the original members of the gang. Eating dinner, like old times.  
  
" Of course," Syaoran continued, talking about the utopian land and the doings. " Raphael had to adjust the feathers each time he groomed the horse, so he nearly chopped the wings off once. Too bad, but he never did it again."  
" There was another person," Aisha began. " Whose name was Falken. The kids call him ' Tongue-Chewer' because he chews on his tongue all the time. And he talks like this-Toomahrow, wee're going too goe too thuh mayjohr hall too ruhceeve thuh paypirs."  
  
Laughing at how her face moved, Dayne added, " It's entertaining without having to listen to his voice."  
" He was actually one of the members of the Middle Council." Alicia continued. " There are three councils. The Low Council, the Middle Council, and the High Council. The Low Council decides small matters and handles the affairs of children. The Middle Council handles affairs of adults and positions, as well as the mystical beasts such as unicorns and dragons. The High Council, hehe." Alicia leaned back. " Now, the High Council gets all the interesting stuff."  
" Does not." Syaoran snapped. " It's awfully boring. We have nothing to do."  
" Not true!" Dayne protested. " We decide serious matters, after all. But since no real problems arise, we just, well, I guess we have a great deal of free time."  
" Precisely why it's boring."  
  
Sakura laughed.  
  
" Sure, the Card Mistress would love that. You decide something once or twice a year, then you just hang out." Syaoran laughed. " Ride horses, skate, do all kinds of weird stuff. Hai, Kero would like that too, there's tons of food to eat, and Yue can have lots of friends."  
  
This made Yukito blush.  
  
" Sure, I know what you're thinking." Syaoran leaned back. " Gods, High Council, talking like what, children? This world is too hyper for our own good. We have to get out of here as soon as possible!" He laughed, " And with some stuffed animals that talk like Kero and Spinel, aye, we're going to have some problems in our hands. This is worse then that wine you made me drink that year, Dayne. Did I ever tell you about that?"  
  
We shook our heads. No, he never did.  
" Tell them!" Aisha laughed. " Go ahead! Come along, Dayne, don't be a coward."  
" Who's the coward here?" Dayne asked, indignant. " The little one that pushes everyone or the big one that's being pushed?"  
" The big one." The gods answered.  
" Ai!" Dayne laughed. " One time, the councils had come together for a feast, and everyone was invited. There was plenty of wine, of course, aye! Syaoran was about fifteen then. It was a long time ago, and I dared him to drink one of those blue wines-blue wines are the strongest. Everyone was drinking wine anyway. So I dared the little one to drink. At first he wouldn't. Then he finally gave in. One sip, he fainted."   
" Did not!" Syaoran suddenly protested.  
" Oh, but you did!" Alicia laughed. " Poor boy, one sip. He was still a little weak then, but anyways, one sip, fainted. We had to take him home."  
  
Syaoran hunched and frowned.  
" Not funny." He muttered.  
  
We laughed. I patted Syaoran on the shoulder.  
" Oh well." Syaoran shrugged.  
" That's alright." Sakura reassured him. " Just proves you don't drink. That's good."  
  
Then Syaoran gave her the most bitter smile I've ever seen.  
  
" Good eh?" He replied. " Very good."  
  
  
  
" So much pollen this year!" Nakuru complained.   
" Achi!" Ronald sneezed.  
" Since when did you have allergies?" I asked.  
" Since I came here. Achi! I don't know why. Never had this kind of problem before-at least I don't remember. I think I had lived in the mortal world once."  
" Pollen. Speaking of which, what kind of flowers are those?" Louis asked. " I might want to take one. Those flowers are very pretty."  
" Those are peonies." I answered.   
" Oh. I've heard Syaoran speak of peonies. Very beautiful flowers, aren't they?" Shruti took out a silk bag and pulled a flower of each color gently out of the ground."  
" I think it was his favorite." I said doubtfully.  
" I don't see why not. They are so beautiful." Shruti smiled. " Very pretty. Reminds me of Syaoran when he first came. He was so sad, but so happy, and he ran straight to my arms and hugged me. What a darling!"  
" Sweet child." Ronald agreed. " At first he was shy." He explained to me. " We had to encourage him a lot, to meet the members of the High Council, the Middle Council, the Low Council, and also some people who traveled from other worlds, such as angels-the archangels, the Seraph and the Cherub. They were very interested in him-he was the youngest to be chosen to become a god from an outside world. So of course, he became famous. And since Syaoran was a smart boy, he quickly realized he was able to fit right in. God, was he pampered!"  
  
Shruti laughed, as she tied her silken bag loosely. " He was a beautiful child." She murmured. " And he grew into a handsome man. By the way, does his family know of this?"  
" Hai." I said solemnly. " They didn't say anything."  
" To tell you the truth," Ronald continued. " He visited Hong Kong first. Of course, it had nothing to do with our quest. But we let him. He was so happy. I imagine his mother is about seventy or so now. His sisters didn't even recognize him, that's what Syaoran said. We didn't go with him-we all went to Russia for a while, and to New York in the United States."  
" Oh. Did you enjoy it?"  
" Awful." Ronald grimaced. " The air is terrible." We laughed.  
" True!" Shruti nodded. " So many people in one place! Imagine the smell of cars, egh! And plus the fact that there's dog wastes and bird droppings all over the place!"  
" You forgot chewed gum." Ronald added.  
" Ah well, all places have them, more or less." Shruti shrugged.  
" Enough Shruti." Ronald scolded. " You'll pick so much peonies there won't be any left for the mortals."  
" Speaking of peonies," Shruti blinked. " I suddenly remember something. That day when Syaoran first came, he seemed to have left a flower to that darling Sakura. Was that a peony?"  
" Hai." I nodded. " It was a peony."  
" Interesting. Did Sakura use it well?"  
" Hai, I guess."  
" Of course, you baka." Ronald laughed. " She's married! She has a child!"  
" And a wonderful child at that. Mimi is going to grow to be quite a beautiful woman, just like her mother."   
" Hai! And hopefully as dense! Sakura is so kawaii!"  
" Of course, she made poor Syaoran very sad."  
" Oh well, they were never meant to be together anyway. Syaoran in some ways is too good for Sakura, and vice versa. What can we do?" Ronald bent down. " Hard to believe, it's twenty years already. Syaoran's a big boy, Sakura's a big girl. Eriol and Tomoyo are getting married next spring. How old are they now? Thirty-one? Hai."  
" And not to mention, the Card Mistress will meet quite a few interesting friends." Shruti's eyes gleamed. " After all, it would be quite dull to be trapped in the circle of Clow Reed, wouldn't it? So other magicians. Look out for the Amulet Carver! Don't forget the Deities!"  
" Now now Ronald!" Shruti smiled. " Don't get too excited. You already revealed too much of the future to the mortals. After all, suspense and mystery makes the world go round." She smirked.  
" Hai!" Ronald agreed. " That's what makes life interesting in the Immortal Realm, you see. You get to watch this one as one watches television. So pleasant up there. Perhaps one day we can take you there and show you around, of course, you wouldn't want to come back again, but still, it would be a wonderful memory, and we can grant you the privilege of going to the blessed lands when your role in this world is over."  
  
" For the others as well?"  
" For the others, of course! How can Syaoran forget the others? Especially Sakura?"  
" Wait a minute," I blinked, confused. " Do you mean to tell me that...Syaoran suggested this?"  
" Hai, isn't he sweet? A pure immortal no doubt. In fact, he is so sure you would qualify, he already has a dwelling prepared!" 


End file.
